Electric railway



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

" P. o. ESMOND.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY. No. 553,979.v Patented 1165.4. 1896.

ANDREW HGRIHIM. PNUTBUTHQWASNINGTON. D C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

F. C. ESMOIJD.4

.ELEGTRIG RAILWAY. No. 553,979. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

IPM/ENTER? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK CARLETON ESMOND, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE ESMOND ELEOTRIGTRAOTION COMPANY, OF TEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,979, dated February 4, 1896.

Application led April 19, 1893. Serial No. 470,976. (No model.)

To all whom, L'Z': 77mg/ coli/cern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK CARLnroN ESMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing in thc city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of electric roads in which the Working current is transmitted to the motor upon the car through the contact of a collector carried by the car, with disconnected contacts which form part of the circuit between the main conductor and the motor and which are at all times out of circuit except when the car is passing, and the object of my improvements is to provide a suitable box or case for inclosing magnetic devices employed to close the normally-open circuit from the feeder or main and which shall at the same time present a suitable contact-surface to the current-collector carried by the moving vehicle. To this end I constructa case having a base of suitable insulating material and a dome-shaped top of suitable conducting material. This top is provided with a flange which projects out beyond the base, and when the whole is in position rests upon the street-pavement or upon a suitable foundation, the dome-shaped top projecting above the surface. The base is provided with a contact to receive the terminal of the feeder or main conductor, and is adapted to be secured to a sub-base or foundation in such a manner that when the case and the magnetic devices inclosed therein arc fully assembled it may be firmly set into position, receiving the terminal of the main conductor and be ready for use without further manipulation.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

' whichin position for use, is sunk below the streetlevel, and is securely attached to a suitable foundation, as by being screwed by means of the threaded band B to the sub-base C through which projects the terminal T ofthe feeder or main through which current is conve'yed to the motor upon the moving vehicle. The base A is provided with a contact-piece D of conducting material embedded therein, 6o which is provided with a threaded socket d fitted to receive the correspondin gly-threaded terminal of the feeder or main.

To the base A is suitably secured, as by being screwed thereto, a dome-shaped top E composed of suitable conducting material, such as iron or phosphor-bronze. This top projects above the surface of the soil or streetpavement and is provided with a flange F which projects out beyond the base A and 7o rests upon the pavement or upon a suitable foundation provided therefor. This iange serves not only to thicken the base of the dome -E and render it less liable to be broken by the impact of vehicles or other blows, but also provides an independent support therefor, thus transmitting the shock of any blow upon the dome to the pavement or other foundation upon which the flange rests, thereby protecting the base A and any magnetic 8o devices within the case from injury from such sources.

In order to further protect the case and inclosed devices from injury, I may place a foundation H, of rubber or other elastic material, underneath the sub-base O, thus -providing against injury from blows in case of a settling of the foundation under the ange F.

Vithin the dome and base is left suiiicient open space to. receive such magnetic devices 9o as it may be desired to inclose therein for the purpose of closing the circuit from the feeder or main to the dome.

The specific construction of the magnetic circuit-closing device is not a feature of the invention contained in this application. In

the drawings, however, I have illustrated a solenoid wound with two coils-first, a highresistance coil l, connected to the dome E and grounded at the other end-as,for eXample,by 1 oo the connection 2 leading to the screw-ring B- and, second, a low-resistance coil 3, connected to the dome at one end and adapted to be connected with the feeder through the contactpoints 4 5, carried upon the core 6 of the solenoid, so that when the solenoid is magnetized the contacts t 5 engage with the contacteombs 7 S, closing the main circuit through the coil 3 at these points.

The connection between the dome E and the base A should be water and air tight, and in order to further protect any inclosed magnetic devices and facilitate their operation I prefer to exhaust. the air from the case, thus providing a sealed vacuum within it. To this end I may, in making' the dome, which is preferably cast otherwise in a solid piece, leave an opening Gr in the top of the dome. After any operating devices to be contained within the case are placed in position and the dome is attached to the base A the air may be exhausted by sealing to tli'e interior of the opening Gr the partially fused and softened end of a glass tube of proper dimensions. Through this the air is then exhausted by means of any usual or suitable form of airexhausting apparatus, and the opening is then sealed by fusing together and cutting off the glass tube in any usual or suitable manner at a point at or below the level of the top of the dome.

In using my device in connection with an electric railroad the circuit is closed from the feeder or main T to the dome E by mea-ns of suitable devices contained within the case, and current is transmitted to the motor upon the moving vehicle by contact of a brush or current-collector, carried by the vehicle, with the dome E.

The advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since it provides a case or receptacle for the purposes indicated which can be put together ready for operation at the factory and placed in position for use without difficult-y. The contained magnetic devices are also thoroughly protected from the effects of shocks or blows and from the action of gases or liquids, and a durable and efficient form of contact for transmitting current to a motor upon a moving vehicle is provided.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an electric railroad a case for magnetic circuit-closing devices, consisting of a base of insulating material located when the base is in position for use below the streetlevel, means for attaching the base to a foundation, a socketed contact-piece of conducting material embedded in the base for receiving the terminal of the main conductor, a

dome-shaped top of conducting material attached to said base and a flange upon said top, projecting beyond the base and supported independently of the foundation of the base, substantially as and for the pu rposes set forth.

2. In an electric railroad a case for magnetic circuit-closing devices consisting of a base of insulating material, a contact-piece of conducting material for receiving the terminal of the main conductor, embedded in such base, a dome-shaped top of conducting material attached to the base, and a iiange upon such top projecting beyond the base and supported independently thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an electric railroad a case for magnetic circuit-closing devices, consisting of a base of insulating material, a dome-shaped top of conducting material connected to said base, and a flange upon said top, projecting beyond the base, supported independently thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4:. In an electric railroad a case for magnetic circuit-closing devices, consisting of a base of insulating material located, when the case is in position for use below the streetlevel, and a dome-shaped top of conducting material connected to such base and projecting above the street-level substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In an electric railroad the combination with a case for containing magnetic devices consisting of a base normally located below the street-level, and a top projecting above the street-level, of a support for suoli top independent of the base and base-supports, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

(S. The combination with a case for containing magnetic circuit-closing devices having a base of insulating material, of a screw-threaded band upon such base and a sub-base havin g a threaded socket engaging with such band substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination with a case for containing magnetic circuit-closing devices having a base of insulating material, of a sub-base adapted to support said base, a main conductor projecting through said sub-base and having a screw threaded terminal and a threaded socket of conducting material embedded in said base and adapted to receive said terminal substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my naine this l' th day of April, A. D. 1893.

FREDERICK CARLETUN VESHOND.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. lIAoKsTAFF, HARDING F. GRAY.

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